Matinee Classics - Lois Nettleton Biography & Filmography

Lois Nettleton ACTOR

PHOTOS

LOIS NETTLETON BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Lois Nettleton was born on August 6th, 1927 in Oak Park, Illinois with the birth name Lois June Nettleton, born to Virginia and Edward Nettleton. As a young girl she loved to perform and developed an interest in acting from a early age. She began her career in entertainment as a model and in 1948 she won the Miss Chicago beauty pageant contest.

Nettleton received her education in acting at Chicago Goodman Theater and later went on to study at the Actors' Studio in New York City. Nettleton then began working as a stage actress on Broadway with her first production in, "The Biggest Thief in Town" (1949) and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1955) as an understudy to Barbara Bel Geddes.

After gaining a number of years as a stage actress in Off-Broadway as well as on Broadway, she began to break into the television industry appearing on a variety of series such as, "The Brighter Day", "Man Against Crime", "The Big Story", "Camera Three", "Decoy", "True Story" and "Twilight Zone".

In 1962, she was given a chance to have her film debut in, "Period of Adjustment". Some of her more well known film roles were on, "Come Fly With Me" (1963), "Mail Order Bride" (1964), "The Bamboo Saucer" (1968) and "The Honkers" (1972).

Although she was working on films, the majority of her career was as a stage and television actress. As her career progressed she added more television roles to her credits in, "Route 66", "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour", "Naked City", "The Eleventh Hour", "Dr. Kildare", "Mr. Novak", "Gunsmoke", "Bonanza", "The Fugitive", "The Outsider", "The F.B.I.", "Barnaby Jones" and "Hawaii Five-O" among many others which included a recurring role on "In the Heat of the Night" as Chief Bill Gillespie's (Carroll O'Connor) girlfriend.

Nettleton also won an Emmy for her role on the television movie, "The American Woman" Portrait of Courage" (1976) and she won another Emmy for her role on the series, "Insight" (1960). She was nominated for an Emmy for her appearance on the television series, "The Golden Girls" and another Emmy nomination for her role on the television movie, "Feat on Trial" (1975).

Lois also did voice over work on such projects as, "Disney's House of Mouse" and "Herc's Adventures". She continued to also return to her love of stage acting frequently and added productions credits such as, "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1973) and in 1976, she was nominated for a Tony Award as Best Actress for her role in the production, "They Knew What They Wanted". Her final stage performance was in 2004 in, "How to Build a Better Tulip".

Lois Nettleton married only once to Jean Shepherd from 1960 through 1967 and they had no children. She never re-married again and on January 18th, 2008 she passed away at the age of eighty in Woodland Hills, California after suffering from lung cancer. Her remains are interred in New York City's Saint Raymond's Cemetery.

Filmography

2006 The Christmas Card

2003 House of Mouse

2001 Mickey's House of Villains

2001 Crossing Jordan

1999 The Pretender

1997 Herc's Adventures

1995-1997 Spider-Man

1996-1998 General Hospital

1996 Charlie Grace

1996 The Making of a Hollywood Madam

1995 Baywatch Nights

1995 Coach